1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protection cap and more particularly to a protection cap capable of protecting a terminal of an electric wire installed on a starter motor or the like of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electric devices mounted on a vehicle body are connected to electric wires. Some electric devices, such as an alternator (ACG), have a high voltage and a high temperature. Therefore, a terminal of the electric wire connected with the alternator is covered with a protection cap in consideration of interference with peripheral devices, influence of heat transmitted from the alternator, penetration of water, and the like.
FIG. 3 shows an example of the conventional protection cap of this kind. Referring to FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes an electric wire. A terminal 2 is provided at an end of the electric wire 1. The terminal 2 is connected to an unshown alternator or the like.
The terminal 2 is covered with a semispherical cap. 3 made of an elastic material, such as rubber. A hollow cylindrical part 3a is formed continuously with the cap 3. The terminal 2 is passed through the hollow cylindrical part 3a and is inserted into or through the cap 3.
A cylindrical rubber cover 4 is provided on the hollow cylindrical part 3a. The rubber cover 4 is fixed to the electric wire 1 by tape 5 to protect the electric wire 1 in the vicinity of the terminal 2.
The electric wire 1 is delivered to a user, with the cap 3 shifted toward the rubber cover 4 and with the terminal bare, as shown in FIG. 3A. The terminal 2 is installed on the alternator with a bolt, and the cap 3 then is shifted toward the terminal 2 to cover the terminal 2 with the cap 3.
As described above, the electric wire 1 is delivered to the user, with the cap 3 shifted toward the rubber cover 4 and with the terminal 2 bare. Thus, the terminal 2 can be installed on the electric wire 1 with high operability.
However, in the conventional cap 3, after the terminal 2 is installed on the alternator, the cap 3 is shifted toward the terminal 2. Thus, an end portion of the electric wire 1 at the side of the terminal 2 is exposed and not protected.
To solve the above-described problem, the dimension of the rubber cover 4 is altered and the cap 3 is delivered to the user with the cap 3 connected with the rubber cover 4, as shown in FIG. 4. The illustrated assembly of the electric wire 1, the terminal 2, the cap 3 and the rubber cover 4 can be installed on the alternator by shifting the cap 3 and the rubber cover 4 from the terminal 2 and then folding the cap 3 toward the rubber cover 4. Then, the terminal 2 is installed on the bolt 6 of the alternator 7 with the terminal 2 exposed. Next, as shown in FIG. 4C, the cap 3 and the rubber cover 4 are shifted toward the terminal 2, and the cap 3 is folded back toward the terminal 2 to cover the terminal with the cap 3.
The conventional protection cap shown in FIG. 4 first requires the cap 3 and the rubber cover 4 to be shifted from the terminal 2, then requires the cap 3 to be folded toward the rubber cover 4 and finally requires the cap 3 to be folded back toward the terminal 2. In addition, the cap 3 cannot be folded easily in either direction. Thus, the electric wire-installing work takes time and labor.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problem. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a terminal protection cap having a construction allowing a terminal to be exposed easily and protected to perform a terminal-installing work with high operability.
The subject invention is directed to a terminal protection cap for protecting a terminal provided at an end of an electric wire. The terminal protection cap comprises a cap part configured for covering the terminal directly and a hollow tubular part integral with the cap part. The hollow tubular part allows the terminal to be inserted into the cap part in penetration therethrough. The hollow tubular part has a large-diameter portion located at the side of the cap part; a tapered portion continuous with the large-diameter portion; and a small-diameter portion continuous with the tapered portion. The tapered portion and the section of the small-diameter portion adjacent the tapered portion have walls that are thinner than the walls of both the large-diameter portion and sections of the small-diameter portion remote from the tapered portion.
With this construction, the cap part is slid toward the small-diameter portion with respect to the thin tapered portion and the end of the small-diameter portion at the side of the tapered portion. The cap then is bent. Thus, it is easy to expose the terminal, and it is easy to install the terminal on an alternator or the like. After the terminal is installed, the cap part is slid toward the terminal with respect to the thin tapered portion and the end of the small-diameter portion at the side of the tapered portion, and thus the cap is returned to its original state. In this manner, the terminal can be protected by the cap part. That is, it is possible to perform the terminal-installing work with high operability.